


Streetlights in Jersey

by siehn



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-05
Updated: 2013-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-07 12:46:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/748669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siehn/pseuds/siehn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A media report of a hit on Steve while he's in Halawa leaves Danny and Grace stranded in New Jersey, thinking he's dead. Meanwhile, free of prison with orders to lay low, Steve heads to Jersey to reassure them that he's very much alive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Streetlights in Jersey

**Author's Note:**

> FINALLY. 
> 
> Written for a fandom auction (I don't remember which one) for my awesome, amazing ciaimpala, who has been so, so patient about this. 
> 
> I think it's been what...Almost two years now? This thing has taken me so long to write. I'm not sure about it, like, at all. Especially the end. 
> 
> POV switches! They should all be clearly marked with a line break, though. 
> 
> I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.
> 
> Not beta'd.

“Please, _please_ tell me there is a lead. I swear I’ll take anything. Anything at all; I do not care, just give me _something_ ,” Danny starts, long-winded, and gesturing wildly as soon as he walks into 5-0’ s temporary HQ, locking the door behind him. Kono and Jenna both look up, on the verge of glaring, and Danny holds up the bag of malasadas, shaking it a little in offering. 

“There,” he says as he drops the bag on the pulled-out bed they’ve set up techno-camp on, “you can’t say I don’t appreciate you.” Especially considering the four very unfriendly HPD faces he’d had to duck out on. Suspicion by association; at least Danny was used to being treated like a _haole_. Thank God Chin had been the one to arrest Steve, putting himself above the cloud of suspicion that Danny and Kono were under now. If that wasn’t an ironic thought. They had to have _someone_ on the inside, though. 

He sighs, flopping down beside Kono. She leans back against him, and he knows, okay, he gets how important her badge is, and how all this is getting to her, and she’s just a rookie. She shouldn’t be dealing with any of this; none of them should be. He lets her in, stays still so she’s comfortable there, in his space the way he’s been learning to let them be. 

“No such luck, brah,” Kono shrugs, shoulders slumping, and Danny shifts a little, nudging her with an elbow. _No brooding here._

“We have the tape,” Jenna puts in, looking earnest, “and the taser marks on Steve’s neck--” 

“Won’t stand up in court,” Danny counters. “He fought through all, or most, of the security to get to the Governor. They’ll argue the marks could have come from that.” He knows; he’s already asked that question. “We need proof. Irrefutable, physical evidence, that Steven did not shoot the Governor,” he says, like they don’t know that. “Preferably evidence that helps us take down Wo Fat, too, but hey. I’ll take what I can get.” 

Jenna sighs, picking absently at the dough of her malasada. “No cameras in the Governor’s office?” 

Kono shakes her head, but the door opens before she can answer, and Danny draws his weapon, both of them looking hunted with guns pointed steadily at the door. 

“Easy,” Chin soothes, stepping inside, watching the two of them until the tension in their shoulders lessens, and they lower their weapons. “Do I want to know where you got that?” He has to ask, because Kono is his baby cousin, and she’s already in enough trouble. 

She shrugs, unconcerned, and slides the gun back beneath the pillow between her, and Jenna. “There are monsters gunnin’ for us, ‘cuz,” she says, glancing at Danny, who still looks vaguely hunted. He always does, these days. “Gotta protect everybody somehow.” Chin raises one eyebrow, and she sighs, “I got it from Steve’s place. Didn’t think he’d mind too much.” That’s probably true enough. Steve _wouldn’t_ mind. 

Danny snorts. “You, my dear, have been spending too much time with our fearless leader. I can practically see his influence all over you; with the no-back-up, and the blowing shit up, and God, next thing we know, you’ll be dangling people--” The ringing of his phone cuts off his rant, and he glares at them while tugging it out of his pocket. They’re enablers, all of them, and Danny is literally the only sane person on this team. Family. Whatever they are these days. 

He glances down at his phone, expecting to see Rachel’s name again; he’d called her back over an hour ago, asking about the weird voicemail she’d left him before that. Something tightens in his gut when he reads the display, and he immediately can’t shake the feeling that something’s gone wrong. He tries to tell himself he’s over-reacting, but damnit, he trusts his instincts, and he _knows_. 

“Ma?” he answers, ignoring the suddenly-concerned looks of his team for the moment, stepping away, out of the small semi-circle they’d created in his living room. Temporary HQ. God, he can’t wait to get their actual HQ back. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He can’t help the borderline-frantic questions.

She doesn’t read him the riot act for it, for assuming that’s why she called, there’s no ‘Daniel Williams, I am your mother, and I can call you whenever I like. You think your own Ma can’t just call you up to see how you’re doing, huh? Even when you’re so far from home?’

She isn’t suddenly gushing about Grace. 

Oh God, Grace. 

“Ma, seriously, what is it, what’s happening? Just tell me, please, tell me it isn’t Grace, okay. Tell me that--” 

“It’s Rachel, Danny,” she cuts through him, drowning him out even though she never raises her voice. She’s loud in the quiet ways, is his Ma. Those words, though, those words freeze him from the inside out; make him go still, and quiet, and he doesn’t want to know, okay, he does not want to hear this, but there’s _Grace_ , and he has to. 

He stops, takes a deep breath, and exhales loudly. “What do you mean ‘it‘s Rachel?’ What’s happened to her?” He can’t quite keep the fear out of his voice, but he’s allowed, isn’t he, because it’s _Rachel_ , and beyond all of that, she’s still the mother of his child. 

“She’s…,” his Ma trails off, like she’s looking for the right way to say it, like she knows he’s not going to take it well no matter how she tells him, and he braces himself even though he knows it’s not going to do any good at all. “Danny, she’s had some kind of breakdown; went, and got herself committed because she was afraid she might do something ‘rash,’” she says finally, heavy, and Danny can’t really believe what he’s hearing. 

“What? It’s Rachel, Ma. She isn’t going to, to hurt herself, or--” He can’t even imagine it; he knows Rachel. 

“I know that, Daniel,” and she sounds a little exasperated now, like Danny’s half-daft to even think they might think badly of Grace’s mother. “It was her choice, and yes, we tried to talk her out of it, but she’s convinced it’s what’s best for her, and for Grace,” she tells him, calmly, and Danny has no idea how she can be this rational in the face of everything going fucking _insane_ in his life. 

“Okay,” he says, because there’s nothing he can do on the Rachel front until he can actually talk to her, face to face, but there’s still his daughter to worry about. “Okay. Grace--”

“Is here with us, obviously,” his mother informs him, and yeah, okay he knew that. He did, but he is a father, and it is his natural instinct to worry. “She needs you, Danny. I don’t think she’s really stopped crying since yesterday, and she’s been so quiet since they got off the plane; it isn’t natural, even for Gracie,” she adds, worried, and Danny gets it. Grace has been quiet since the divorce, since he and Rachel were always so loud even when they tried not to be, but she’s been breaking out of her shell more, lately, so it’s worrying that she’s gone back into it. 

“Obviously I’m on the next flight out, Ma, you know that,” Danny sighs, snapping his fingers at the other three, motioning towards the phone, and then the computer, mouthing ‘airplane’ at them until they snap to, and start booking the flight. He’ll do everything he can for Steve, but Grace comes first, as ever, and he can keep trying to free his partner while he goes to his daughter. 

“Danny, your partner--” 

“Would kick my ass if I stay here when Gracie needs me. I’ll do what I can from there, and leave the grunt-work to these three,” he says, unhappy with it, but he knows what he has to do, and he knows what Steve’s going to say about it. He just doesn’t like not being here; he’s the back-up, it should be him doing the leg-work, but he knows, okay, he trusts these people to do what he can’t. “Alright,” he takes another breath, blowing it out tiredly, “I’ll be there soon as I can; tell Gracie okay?” 

He hangs up, tightens his grip on his phone so he doesn’t throw it, and presses the heel of his hand against his forehead. Sometimes Danny can’t believe his life. 

“You okay, brah?” Chin asks, one hand settling warm on Danny’s shoulder, and Danny can hear the open concern in his voice. 

“Not really, no,” he answers, ragged, and so tired. He’s being pulled in too many directions at once, and he’s just _tired_. 

“What’s going on, Danny? Are Rachel and Grace okay?” Kono asks, with a hand on his knee when Danny let’s himself sink down onto the bed. He doesn’t know what to do with these people, sometimes. 

“Rachel uh,” he starts, has to stop just to wrap his own head around it all, “she had some kind of breakdown? I don’t know; Ma says she went and got herself committed, and they have Grace. I can’t. She needs me, okay, I cannot just--” 

“It’s okay, Danny. We get it, brah. It’s Grace, of course you gotta go,” Chin cuts through him, and Danny doesn’t have to look to see him roll his eyes, and he’s so grateful for them it hurts. “We already got the flight booked. Tomorrow morning; 5:00AM; figured you’d want to stop by the prison first.” 

The thought of leaving Steve in that place goes against all of his instincts, but he has to, knows that, knows Steven will tell him that, too. “I--”

“We got this, boss-man,” Kono says, all affectionate exasperation, with more confidence than any of them really feel. “We’ll get him out of there, Danny,” she adds, serious. 

Danny nods, pushing up from the bed to stare them all down. “I am trusting you all,” he starts, gesturing at them, “with this, okay? Do not let me down. You will get him out of there, and he will be in one piece, do you hear me?” He trusts them. He does; it’s just. This is _Steven_ , and he’s Danny’s. 

Chin just texts him his flight information, Kono hugs him, and Jenna nods because she still hasn’t really gotten the hug thing down yet. He doesn’t say anything more, just nods once at them, turns, and heads for the Camaro. He can’t over think this, he can’t, because if he does he’ll never be able to do this with his head on straight. 

\------------------------ 

Steve looks like Hell, and it makes Danny ache, seeing him like this, and there’s a horrible, splitting feeling in his chest like he’s being pulled in two different directions at once. Steve needs him, but so does Grace, and he has to choose her. He _has to_. 

“Hey babe,” he says when Steve picks up the phone, stares at Danny with that hard, closed-off look he’s been wearing lately, but it eases a little, when he hears Danny’s voice. Danny doesn’t know what to think about that. “I uh, I got some bad news, and I’m sorry, but it’s Grace, and--”  
“What the hell, Danny?” Steve says immediately, losing the thousand-yard stare, trading it in for worry, and a little bit of fear because the bad guys have gone after family before. “What’s going on, is she okay?” Danny kind of loves that Steve sounds every bit an overprotective father-figure even now, behind glass, and bars, and dressed in prison orange. He swallows hard because this isn’t easy, at all, and he doesn’t want to tell Steve that he’s leaving; that he has to. 

“She’s fine, she’s good; well, maybe not good seeing as how her mother got herself hauled off to the closest psyche-ward, but she’s with my folks, Steven, she’s fine. I just. I have to…” He can’t say it, can’t bring himself to tell Steve that he has to leave, has to abandon him in the middle of this mess that they made together, and dammit, he was going to _stay_. 

“Danny,” Steve says, serious, and Danny looks up at him through the glass. He can’t identify this face, this look that shoves all of Steve’s feelings right out into the space between them. It isn’t something he can deal with, right now. “Go. Don’t worry about me; Gracie needs you. Get your ass out of here.” Danny doesn’t know what to do with this man, sometimes. This crazy, reckless SEAL who can’t be real half the time, and who apparently loves Danny’s daughter almost as much as Danny does. 

“I’m--”

“Don’t you _dare_ say you’re sorry for this, Danny. It’s Grace, and I’ll be fine. Chin, and Kono, and Jenna are still working on it, and I know you,” Steve smiles, and it’s half-broken enough to be painful, “you don’t know how to quit.” 

“Just don’t do anything stupid, babe. Please,” he knows it’s probably useless to even ask, but he has to. “I’m not gonna be here to yell at you for it.” He’s not going to be here to reign Steve in, to control some of his crazy; he’s not going to be here to have his back, and that’s the thought that scares him the most. Danny doesn’t want to find out what life would be like now, without Steven there, at his side, taking years off Danny’s life with all the stupid shit he pulls. 

“I’ll do my best,” Steve answers, sounding resigned, and sad, and Danny wishes so hard that he could wipe that look off Steve’s face. All he can do though, is lift a hand up to the glass, and it’s probably sappy as fuck, but he doesn’t care. Steve closes his eyes like it physically hurts, and raises his own to mirror Danny’s, and they would be touching if it weren’t for that goddamn glass. He hates it; hates that it makes Steve look like some kind of dangerous criminal because he isn’t. 

He’s just Steve, with too many issues, and all of his feelings out there making a mess of him. Danny doesn’t want to leave him, and none of them deserves this, Christ, what did they do to get all of this pulled down on top of them? 

“Steven,” he says, and leaves it at that because Steve knows him; knows his tones, apparently, and Danny feels so helpless beneath everything right now. It’s like he’s sinking in the mud, slow, and he doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know what he can do. 

“Get out of here, Danno. Give Gracie a hug for me,” Steve says, and his voice is too hoarse, all his feelings bleeding through, and Danny has to leave before one of them shatters into all the pieces they’re barely holding together. 

“I’ll see you. Grace’ll write; she’s been asking me for the address. Be careful,” he swallows hard, pushes back from the booth, and hangs the phone up reluctantly. Steve just sits there, watching him with sad eyes, and Danny can practically see the walls being shored up, the boundaries pulled in, and while he hates it, he’s glad because it means Steve might still be Steve when he gets out. Danny needs that more than he needs Steve to remember he’s got feelings these days. 

He gets a last, sharp nod before he’s out, pushing himself because he wants to go back, wants to bust Steve out himself, wants to do something crazy, and reckless, and stupid, and he _can’t_. Danny doesn’t give himself time to think about it, just slides into the driver’s seat of the Camaro, takes a deep breath, and leaves Halawa in the rearview mirror. 

He only looks back once. 

\-------------------------------------------

It’s raining when he walks out of the airport; Jersey is cold, wet, and crowded, but home in the way it’s always been. He’s missed it; he’s glad to be back, but there’s a part of him he’s left in Hawaii, and he hates this split feeling.

Still, he’ll be back there soon enough; it’s where Steve is; where his heart is, and he knows Gracie will want to go back. He just needs to take care of this first; talk to Rachel, and figure out what the Hell is going on, and then they can go home. 

Until then, there’s Jersey, and his folks, and he hasn’t seen them in what feels like forever; there’s no harm in enjoying it. Danny sure as hell doesn’t plan on wasting the opportunity to catch up with everyone, to see his Ma, and Dad, and his sisters. Besides, maybe being away will clear his head, give him a new perspective, and he can always see what advice his parents have. 

“Danny!” He stops, has to look around because he _knows_ that voice, didn’t expect to hear it so soon, and he can’t stop the tired, happy grin from breaking out when he sees his Dad. He’s taller than Danny, dressed casually, and leaning against an obviously rented car. Something in Danny unwinds just from seeing him, and he has to close his eyes, and breathe deep. 

“Dad, hey,” he says, dropping the bags as soon as he gets close enough. He envelops the old man in the biggest hug he can manage, and Williams’ hugs are the best, okay, and Danny is _ragged_ , has missed this so much, and his best friend is in prison. He clings to his Dad for longer than he probably should, but he doesn’t care. 

“I missed you,” he says once he backs off a little, and his Dad squints at him a little when his voice cracks the slightest bit. He’s a tad emotional, so sue him.

“Look at you,” his Dad says, inspecting him in a way that has Danny squirming, and always has, “you’re brown as a nut. Island-living seems to be good for you, despite all the protests I’ve heard.” Danny’s Ma tends to hand the phone off to his Dad when he starts ranting about the island. She’ll stay on to listen to him go on about Steven, of course, because she’s _nosy_ , but she refuses to hear him ‘rant about living in paradise.’ Obviously, he’s justified considering how many times the island has nearly _killed_ him. Which was really all Steve’s crazy bullshit, when he thinks about it. 

“Good for me?” Danny stares. “You think island life is _good for me_ , Pops? No,” he points while his father loads his bags into the trunk, “obviously you have _not_ been listening to what I have been telling you. It is not good for a person to get shot at this much.” It’s a good approximation of his usual ranting, but his heart isn’t really in it. They both know he’d rather be getting shot at with Steve than having to deal with all of this. 

“How are you, really, Danny?” His Pops knows him too well, is the thing. He can see the cracks, and the missing pieces, and the way Danny’s doing his best to hold himself together for everyone else. 

Danny exhales loudly, sends a sideways glance towards his dad before scrubbing at his face. He has no idea how to answer that question. There hasn’t been much time lately to just stop, and take stock, to patch up the weak spots, or shore up his walls. 

“Honestly, Pops?” He starts, but stops again, staring blankly out of the window like the sights of home might hold the answers. (They might, at that, but this is the wrong home.) He shakes his head. “Hell if I know,” and it’s the truth; Danny knows his Dad won’t push for more than that. 

“It’s all good, kiddo,” his Pops says, never taking his eyes off the road, “we’ve got you.” His tone makes Danny _ache_ , and he wishes fiercely for one, blinding moment that Steve were here to listen to those words, too. He closes his eyes, and tries not to think of his hollow-eyed family in pieces around him. 

\----------------------------------------

Danny is tired, and ragged; run-through, but he has Grace in his lap, and his parents’ voices floating out of the kitchen in a low murmur so it isn’t all bad. Grace snuggles into him, her arms tight where they’re wrapped around his middle, and he can’t help but wonder what’s going through her head right now. As soon as he’d walked in the door, she had shrieked ‘Danno’ and launched herself into his arms, and he hasn’t been without her since. He worries, because that’s what he does, and he’s really starting to not look forward to whatever conversation he knows he has to have with Rachel. 

He already feels impossibly weighed down, and there’s only so much a guy can take before his knees buckle, and he falls. Still, there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his daughter, and having her here, safe, goes a long way towards settling a part of the ache that’s been his constant companion for the last few weeks.

“Danno?” Grace’s voice cuts through his thoughts, and he blinks himself back into reality, looking down into her face. She’s finally pulled away far enough for him to actually see it. Her eyes are red. 

“Hey, Monkey,” he whispers, soft, and is pleased when she manages to rustle up half of a smile for him. It isn’t her usual mega-watt grin, but it’s something, and it shows that his little girl is tough; the best of him and Rachel, and he’s grateful for that. “You been havin’ fun with Grandma’ and Grandpa?” They’ve tried, but Grace has been quiet, and withdrawn; she misses home, and God knows Danny understands. 

She hesitates, looking down for a second before nodding slowly. “Yeah, but,” and she trails off a little, looking uncertain.

Danny frowns. “But what?” 

“I saw Uncle Steve on the news,” she finally admits, her voice small, and Danny shuts his eyes. “They were saying bad things about him, Daddy,” she keeps going, like she can’t stop now that he’s got her talking, “but Uncle Steve isn’t a bad guy! He’s like you; he catches bad guys, and keeps us safe. Why were they saying those things, Danno?” He’s mostly tried to keep her out of it; he doesn’t know what Rachel told her, not really, but he isn’t going to lie to her about this. Not about Steve, who Grace adores, and who loves her almost as much as Danny does. 

He reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose, tries to think of how to explain a situation he doesn’t completely understand himself, and finally just sighs. “You’re right,” he says after a minute. “You are absolutely right, kiddo. Uncle Steve isn’t a bad guy, and the news people, they have it all wrong, okay? They think Uncle Steve did some bad stuff because one of the really bad guys we’re trying to catch made it look that way, but me, Chin, and Kono and Jenna? We’re gonna fix it, and Uncle Steve will be right back to spending his weekends dragging us around the islands, okay?” Danny’s a little startled to find that he actually believes it, too, and Grace nods at him, looking hopeful. She has so much faith in them, and it makes something in Danny go tight, and he has to swallow hard against it. 

“I knew he wasn’t bad,” she whispers against his shoulder, and Danny can’t help the way he tightens his arms around her for just a moment, missing Steve fiercely, and he makes a mental note to get Grace to write a letter later. “He’s Uncle Steve,” she adds sleepily, like that explains everything, and maybe it does, maybe it really is that simple for them. God knows it’s enough for Danny, and that’s a terrifying thought. 

“Yeah, Gracie,” he sighs, can’t help but wonder if there’s any hope for him left at all. There probably isn’t. He’s surprisingly okay with that. There are other things they should be talking about, things that aren’t Steven, and his place in their lives; Rachel is a glaringly empty space in the old house, and it’s obvious Grace is upset about it all. She has every right to be, after all; Danny’s pretty sure he’d be a mess in her place, and she probably needs to talk about it, get it out. Her breathing is evening out, though, and she’s snoring lightly against his chest; he can’t bring himself to wake her up just to upset her with questions about her mother she can’t answer anyway. He takes to humming under his breath, soothing, and hopes she has good dreams tonight. 

To say he’s worried about Rachel is the biggest understatement of the year, and he’s a little afraid of what he’s going to find tomorrow, when he goes to see her. His Pops hadn’t been able to tell him much, beyond the fact that Rachel had shown up on their doorstep with Grace, a sobbing mess, and half-terrified out of her mind. 

Danny’s voicemail from her had been much the same, and he swallows tightly against all the feelings trying to clog up his throat. This is probably the first time he’s been able to just sit down, and not worry about cops bursting in to arrest what‘s left of his team, or Wo Fat’s men kicking in the door since this whole mess started. Everything is starting to crash in on him, like a wave finally breaking into shore, and he doesn’t even realize he’s shaking until his Pops bends down to gently tug Grace out of his arms, and his Ma sits down beside him on the sofa. 

“Oh, Danny,” she says, something fierce in her eyes, and Danny stares at her helplessly, shakes his head because fuck if he knows what he’s doing, or what _to_ do, and his Ma always knows what to tell him when he’s flying apart at the seams. 

He leans into her hand against his cheek, closing his eyes to let himself just _be_ for a minute. “I don’t know how everything got so messed up,” he confesses to the ceiling after he’s tipped his head back to stare up at it. “We were doing our thing one minute, you know, catching bad guys, making sure Steven didn’t get himself killed because he’s fucking _crazy_ , and the next thing I know my partner’s facing murder charges, and my family is falling apart around me,” he says, doesn’t rant, can’t bring himself to make this into something to be mocked even though he’s plenty pissed about it all. Honestly, the depth of his anger surprises him, and he isn’t entirely sure who it’s directed at out of all the people who deserve it, and don’t. 

Himself most of all, maybe; he should have been able to stop it all. That’s his job, right? He is the back-up. 

“That’s bullshit, Daniel,” his Ma tells him, and he blinks, didn’t know he’d been talking out loud until then. “You can’t see the future, last I knew, and while you all made a few bad decisions,” she levels a look at him that still makes him wince because yeah, that was too true for all of them, “the only person really at fault here is this Wo Fat bastard.” She shakes her head, sitting back against the cushions next to him, and looking more than a little angry at the thought. “Seems to me like he’s trying to take you all out, and everyone’s playing right into his hands,” she tells him, scowling. 

Danny huffs, bitter, and a little desperate because they’ve been trying to beat Wo Fat for nearly a year, and he’s always one step ahead. “He’s not really ‘trying’ anymore, Ma. Five-0 doesn’t even officially exist, and we’re easy pickings now,” he mutters, and if that isn’t a horrifying thought. He almost pulls out his phone to call home immediately because co-dependency is kind of a bitch, and he’s _worried_ about them, skulking about the island without him there to reign them in. They aren’t fooling him, at all; Chin, Kono, and Jenna are all studies in different kinds of crazy just like Steven, and they obviously need Danny’s calming, rational influence there to protect them from themselves. He forces himself to breathe through it, repeating his mantra of _‘they’re fine; they are all fine,’_ in his head over, and over. It doesn’t really help. 

His Ma is staring at him like she knows exactly what’s going on in his head, and that doesn’t surprise him one bit. She’s a scary woman, is his Ma. “You’ll get him, Danny,” she tells him, certain, and a little angry because she likes Steve after everything she’s heard about him. “You’ll get him, and your Steven will be free, and you all can get back to chasing criminals around the islands,” she says, and there’s almost a smile there like she’s imagining it, and Hell if Danny can’t see it in his own head in Technicolor, all of them back together; happy, and safe, and _family_ again. 

“He’s not _my_ Steven, Ma,” he lies because he can’t have her thinking _things_ about him and his partner when Danny himself hasn’t even figured out what they are yet. She doesn’t have to know that Steven is most definitely Danny’s, even though they’ve never straight-out said, and well, Danny’s belonged to Steve since he punched him in the face, and Steve bought Grace a weekend with dolphins in return. 

She just snorts, patting him on the shoulder. “Sure he isn’t, Danny,” she says airily, obviously humoring him, and Danny just shakes his head. 

“Even if all that does happen,” he starts after a beat because silence isn’t something he can do, she should know; he got it from her. “Even if we get Steve out, and get Five-0 back; there’s still whatever’s going on with Rachel,” and he’ll be the first to admit that he has no idea how to deal with it. Danny’s mostly flying blind, making it up as he goes, and hey, he learned that from Steve, right; he should be good at it by now. 

“You’ll get it sorted, Danny,” she assures, patting his thigh briefly before using it to push herself back to her feet. She looks down at him, soft, and fond, and warm, and he swallows hard. “We’re here for you, kid, as long as you need us.” It feels good to hear that, to be around his parents again, even if home and family have been shifted, and re-defined. “Now, I’m goin’ up to bed. I’ll see you in the morning,” she says, leaning down so he can press a kiss to her cheek. 

“Thanks, Ma,” he says, sincere, and turns to stare at the muted glow of the TV because trying to sleep now would be pointless, and he wants to be awake in case Grace wakes up, and needs him. His little girl with nightmares; it makes him shake his head, and he can’t help but wonder what sort of parents they are, letting things get to this point. Danny nearly calls home at least ten times, his knuckles white from the grip he has on his phone. 

They’re all fine, but he can’t help but send the text anyway. 

_Good news?_

The reply doesn’t take long. 

_Nothing yet, brah. Sorry. We’ll find it._

Danny stares at his phone for a long time, trying to control everything he feels, and finally gives up, sitting forward to rest his head in his hands. The rest of the night passes in restless silence. 

\------

“I’m sorry, Mr. Williams, but Mrs. Edwards is refusing all visitors. She’s specified that should you show up, you should be directed to the lawyers who will smooth out any details,” the lady at the desk tells him politely, and Danny just stares at her for a long moment because he’s been here for thirty minutes, and they’re still refusing to let him see the mother of his child. He kind of thought they were over that whole ‘talk to my lawyer’ phase, but apparently not. Or maybe Rachel really has had some kind of break with reality, and that’s a terrifying thought he doesn’t want to entertain. 

“Let me get this straight,” he tries, struggling not to glare at her because this isn’t actually her fault. “She calls me here from Hawaii to get my daughter, and she won’t even see me to tell me _why_?” Honestly, this whole situation is surreal, and he’s starting to wonder if maybe he’s trapped in the world’s worst nightmare. He’d really, really like to wake up right about now, if that’s the case. 

The lady at least looks sympathetic, not that it helps much. Or at all. “Sir, Mrs. Edwards is in a very fragile state right now. Any emotional disruption could damage what progress she’s made, and she’s been made very aware of that. Please, she’s asked that you contact the lawyer, and settle everything through them,” she says, very earnestly, and Christ, Danny is _tired_. He has questions, so many questions, about why Rachel would do this, what happened, and she _knows_ he doesn’t have the safest job ever. There is no way he’s cut out to be any kind of single father, and Gracie _needs_ her mother. 

“Right,” he sighs, viciously tamping down the urge to rail at her because it _isn’t her fault_ , and he isn’t going to cause a scene. “Lawyers it is, wonderful.” He’s not going to get any further here, dealing with this woman and her aggressive sympathy. He doesn’t want sympathetic, he wants to talk to Rachel, and he can’t even call her because she isn’t answering the phone. “I’m living in a nightmare,” he mutters, turning to go, and he has no idea what he’s going to tell Grace when he gets back. 

Mostly, he just hopes she’s talking again, maybe even smiling a little because his baby girl doesn’t look right with a frown on her face. She deserves to be happy, even when her family is being stupid, and turning her world upside down because they can’t seem to get their act together. He stops beside the car and tilts his head up to look at the sky for a minute, letting himself breathe. His phone stays clenched in his hand, and he absolutely does not send another text asking for an update. 

_Got anything?_

Except he does, later, when he’s sitting in his parents’ driveway, and wondering how everything went to Hell so fast. He misses Steve, and their team, and God help him, but he even misses fucking Oahu, and everything is such a damn mess. Danny doesn’t know what to do with himself, or anything else right now. 

He doesn’t even get an answer this time, and the radio silence drives him fucking crazy.

\-------------------------------------

Three days later, Danny _finally_ manages to get a meeting with the lawyers. He honestly expects to be given the run-around, and everything made way more difficult than it has to be, but apparently Rachel had a different idea when she talked to them. 

“Mr. Williams, we’re so glad you could make it in,” they tell him, standing to shake his hand with what are probably supposed to look like genuine smiles. They aren’t; it is patently obvious they are completely fake, and these guys would rather be anywhere else than having to deal with him again, and Danny kind of loves every minute of it. He had to call five different times just to _get_ an appointment so they can shove it, as far as he’s concerned. 

“Yes, thank you, so am I,” he offers with his best ‘I hate you’ tone, and doesn’t bother to smile. “If we could get on with this, I’d really like some answers as to what the Hell is going on with my ex-wife, and my daughter, please?” Rachel still won’t answer the phone, or accept his calls, though she does talk to Grace, at least, and he’s thankful for that, he is, but he _needs_ to know _why_. Danny is far from stupid; he _knows_ something had to have happened to cause this, and he can’t fix it unless he knows what it is. 

He can’t seem to fix anything, these days. Chin, Kono, and Jenna have only answered him once in the last three days, and that was a whole lot of nothing. He should _be there_ , but he’s here instead, having to deal with these blood-sucking bastards who have already tried to ruin his damn life once. 

“Yes, of course. It’s all going to be very simple, really,” one of them says, and Danny thinks it might be Johnson, but he’s never really cared. “While we cannot disclose any information regarding Mrs. Edwards’ condition, at her behest, we can tell you that she feels you would be more suitable for the role of primary caretaker of your daughter, Grace, at this time,” he goes on, apparently unaware that the words coming out of his mouth make absolutely no sense at all. Crazy, is what they are, okay, and Danny knows crazy. He is very, very familiar with crazy, and he really can’t comprehend any of this. 

“Wait, no stop,” he interrupts, holding up a hand, and staring at them in confusion. “You ‘cannot disclose any information,’ really?” He demands, hands up and doing the standard air quotes around the words without even thinking about it. “The mother of my child has given up custody of her after I had to fight to even so much as _see_ her after the divorce, and you expect me to just what, accept that?” There’s also the fact that it’s _Rachel_ , and things might have gone belly-up again in this mess, but he still cares; he always will, and there has to be a _reason_ for all of this! 

They just blink at him, shuffle a few papers, and slide the others across the table towards him. “I’m sorry, sir. Mrs. Edwards’ orders were very clear,” one of them says, attempting sincere, and mostly failing, and Danny just. Can’t. 

“Look,” he tries, “could you just--” 

“Mr. Williams,” the first one interrupts, looking harassed around the eyes. “This will all go much smoother if you would just cooperate, and let us do our jobs. Now,” he nods to the papers in front of where Danny should be sitting. “These are simple forms that Mrs. Edwards has already signed. All that’s required now is your signature, and Grace will be in your custody, effective immediately,” he says, sharp and concise, and Danny just stares. He didn’t expect it to be this easy; _nothing_ is ever this easy, especially when it involves Rachel’s lawyers, him, and Grace. 

“Just sign? That’s it?” One day, Danny is going to learn to keep his mouth shut, and not question good things, and that is a complete lie, but it’s a comforting one that helps him sleep at night. The thought of being able to just sign his daughter’s life over to someone is a little sickening, to be honest, and he’s still not ready to be a single father. He can’t not sign, though, and he takes a pen, and hesitates over the line. “Tell me one thing,” he says, looking up at them seriously because he _needs_ to know this. “Just tell me if my daughter witnessed whatever happened to make Rachel do this; please, I need to know what I’m dealing with here.” 

Oh God, if Gracie saw something--

“No, Mr. Williams,” they tell him, and low and behold, they actually look genuinely sympathetic now. “We are certain Grace has been kept completely separate from everything that’s happened.” 

Which is total bullshit, of course it is; she’s been involved in every second of it, and her mother is in an institution. It is _patently_ obvious that these idiots do not have kids, and Danny is completely sure they shouldn’t, ever, because they are worse than Steve used to be. He rubs his forehead with his free hand, and scribbles his name across the line on several different papers after he reads them. 

“Right,” he mutters, standing back once he’s done, and oh fuck he can’t believe this is actually happening; what happened to his life? 

“Congratulations, Mr. Williams,” and his hand is being shaken quickly and distastefully, “you’re now the sole guardian of your daughter. We wish you all the best.” It doesn’t take them long to depart, and Danny’s left standing there, staring down at his copies of the papers that make Gracie all his, alone. He’s really, really not ready for this, and it doesn’t matter because here he is, and his fucking stupid phone is ringing incessantly. 

“ _Williams_ ,” he snaps, then almost drops his phone when Grace starts talking too fast, crying, and he nearly has a heart attack right there. “Woah, woah, woah, Gracie. Baby calm down, okay?” He has no idea what’s happened, or why she’s freaking out, and he snatches up the papers on the table, and heads for the door. 

“No, no Monkey, I’m coming right now, okay? I promise I will be there as soon as I can, and you can tell me all about what has you so upset, and Danno will fix it, Grace. Now, I want you to put Grandma on the phone, okay? Go ahead, baby girl, I promise I’m on my way; I’ll see you soon, yeah?” He swallows hard, listens to Grace sob into his ear for another minute before she hands the phone off, and he shoves the keys into the ignition; tries not to completely panic. 

“Ma? Ma what on earth is going on--” 

“Danny. Danny you need to get home right now. Something’s happened, and no, I won’t tell you over the phone, while you’re driving. Just get here, kiddo,” she cuts him off without hesitation, and there’s something in her voice that tells Danny not to argue, for once in his life; something there that tells him to get the fuck home right now. Danny’s never been good about not arguing. 

“Ma you can’t just not tell me!” He doesn’t yell because while he’s half-way between pissed and terrified, that’s still his mother on the phone, and a Williams yelling at his mother just isn’t done if he wants to keep all of his teeth. “What the hell is wrong with my little girl, huh? C’mon, I’m dying here,” he tries, to no avail. 

“Just get home, Danny. Grace needs you,” is all she says before hanging up, and he’s left clutching the steering wheel, and his phone, and he can’t breathe properly for some reason. 

He gets home in a hurry, barely bothering to check his speed and vaguely grateful that he doesn’t get pulled over. There are a hundred horrible scenarios going off in his head, and his jaw hurts from being clenched for so long. He almost can’t go inside when he pulls up in front of his parents’ house; is almost frozen to the seat of the car, and some terrible feeling that he really _does not want to know_. 

Grace is in there, though, probably still crying, and needing him, and he has to go in. Danny swallows hard, and forces himself into the house, preparing for he has-no-idea-what to greet him. 

There are so many things that could have happened, that he imagined the whole way over, but he finds none of these things inside. Instead, there’s Grace hitting him from the side, sobbing hard, completely a mess, and muttering ‘Uncle Steve’ over, and over again, and Danny is very confused. 

“Now, Danny, son,” his Dad says, cautious like Danny is some kind of wild animal that’s been spooked, and needs to be approached carefully. He stares at them, quizzical, until he catches sight of the TV in the living room, and his world stops. 

CNN World News is on, and Steve’s picture is in the corner of it; it’s the one they took when he was arrested, pale and drawn and so angry. It isn’t the picture Danny focuses on though, because all he can see are the scrolling words beneath it, the ones that won’t bother the rest of the world who think Steve McGarrett is nothing more than a murderer. They make Danny sick to his stomach, and numb, and overwhelmed, and gut-punched all at once. 

_“Steven McGarrett dies in Halawa Correctional Facility after being stabbed by a fellow inmate….”_

Danny swallows dryly, isn’t aware that he’s holding Grace tight against himself until his Dad tugs her away from him, and takes her into the other room because Danny cannot get a handle on himself right now. He can’t believe what he’s seeing because it can’t be true. He shakes his head trying to clear it because obviously this is a mistake, someone has fucked up somewhere, and Steven is very much alive back in Hawaii. 

“No,” he says, barely able to register his own voice, and his mother is standing there looking at him worriedly. “No,” he repeats, fingers tightening around his phone as he brings it up to stare blearily at the dials. “They would have called, or stopped it; I would _know_ ,” he rambles, doesn’t care if it makes sense because his team _would have told him_. They wouldn’t let Danny find something like this out through the news, okay, that wasn’t the way they worked. They were family, _‘ohana_ , as they called it on the island, and Danny was finally starting to get that. He sure as Hell couldn’t lose it now.

Still, he can’t just sit there, can’t just let himself wonder if it’s true or false; he can’t let _Grace_ sit there and wonder if her Uncle Steve is alive or dead. There’s really only one way to confirm it, and he closes his eyes to take a breath before hitting speed dial, and waiting. 

Kono picks up after the first ring, and Danny knows as soon as he hears her voice. “Oh God, Danny! You didn’t see--I’m so sorry, Danny. I swear we were gonna call you, but we were trying to. I mean--” 

He lets her stumble, and stutter, and try to find her footing in the crumbling sand of what used to be their lives for a minute. “So it’s true. Steve’s dead,” he says, and the flat tone to his voice almost scares him. He can’t believe it. 

She makes a noise that’s almost like a sob, and he can hear the tears in her voice when she says, “yeah, Danny. Hesse got to him inside. It was Wo Fat’s orders.” 

Danny has no idea what to say so he says nothing, just stands there with the phone to his ear, and listens to Kono promise that they’re going to get him, that Wo Fat hasn’t won, and they won’t give up, but Steve’s dead and none of it fucking matters. He closes his eyes, and keeps them closed. “Yeah. Thanks, Kono, that’s all I needed. Bye,” he doesn’t care what he sounds like, or that she tries to keep him on the line. Steve’s dead. 

Steve is gone, and Danny can never see him again. He never got him out of that fucking prison, couldn’t keep his promise, and he has no idea what he’s supposed to do now. Well, long-term anyway. 

“Danno!” Grace calls, slipping into the room to burrow against his side again, and this he knows. This, he can do. Grace loves Steve, too, and he’ll be damned if he’ll let his baby girl mourn by herself. He’s all she has now, apparently, and he isn’t going to let her down. “Please, Danno. It’s not true, is it?” She asks, and he sinks to his knees in front of her. 

“I’m sorry, Gracie,” he tells her quietly, and she clings to him, crying harder. His own eyes burn, and Danny kneels on his parents’ floor to hold his daughter; he doesn’t cry because he can’t. 

\-------------------------------------------------------

"The Governor will see you now," the woman tells them, smiling blandly as she stands in the doorway, waiting. She’s been looking at them askance ever since they came in, though that’s better than the outright suspicion they’ve been getting from everyone else in the building. 

Chin glances sideways at Kono and Jenna, trying to project more calm than he feels inside. It must work because the two settle a little more, straighten their shoulders, and pull out the blank, hard faces he’s become so used to lately. It’s startling to see his little cousin look like that, and sometimes he can’t help but regret ever pulling her into this. 

Kono nudges his shoulder subtly as they head for the office, shaking her head a little and offering him a tiny smile. _No regrets_ , is what she’s offering, commanding, and he huffs a little but nods back. 

Whatever the case, they’re in this now and their family is on the line. 

Danny’s been gone too long, and they’re all feeling Steve’s absence like a hole beside them where he should be. There are no leads, no whispers; nothing, and hope is a hard thing to hold on to when the horizon is getting darker with every step. Chin is working hard to keep himself as close to Steve’s case as possible, but it’s getting harder and being the arresting officer is no longer quite as effective as it was at keeping him above suspicion. They’re all walking on egg shells, barely able to breathe because it feels wrong to be this way; less than whole. 

The first sign they have that something’s up is the way Jenna freezes in the doorway and lets out a small squeak. Then she’s moving, practically throwing herself into the room and Chin looks over to find Kono looking back with questions plain on her face. He shrugs, and nods to the door; he follows her inside and both of them stop short at the sight that greets them. 

Steve is sitting in one of the chairs in front of the Governor’s desk; he stands gingerly as they all finally make it into the room, holding out a hand to stop Jenna from pouncing on him. He’s clearly injured, his side obviously bandaged beneath his t-shirt and Chin frowns. He’s heard nothing about any kind of incident, and he _should_ have, if anything went down. 

"Steve," Kono says it like she can’t believe he’s standing there, ignores the way he’s trying to ward them off because she can see the same quiet desolation in the depths of his eyes that Chin can, and she steps around his arm to hug him gently. He sucks in a breath and wraps his arms around her in return, holding on like he needs it. Chin lets the shock slide away as he steps forwards after they break apart, taking his own turn for a hug because this is what they do; they’re family. 

"E como mai, brah," he tells him when he pulls back, looking Steve in the eyes because he was the one who put the cuffs on and while Chin knows that Steve knows he had to, he still can’t help but worry. 

"Thanks man," Steve says, hoarse and barely there, but it makes Chin sag with relief because he’s been ostracized by family enough to last him a lifetime or two; he didn’t want to lose this one, too. 

"If we’re done with pleasantries people, I’d like to remind everyone we have a situation, here," Governor Denning chides as Steve releases Jenna from the quick hug she’d given him and they turn to face him. Clearly something has happened to Steve and Chin has his suspicions. There’s really only one person it could be, given this meeting and the fact Steve isn’t wearing prison orange and chains. 

"Wo Fat put a hit out," Steve says tiredly, letting Kono and Jenna push him back down into the chair, and if that didn’t say how much he was actually hurting then nothing would. 

"Fortunately," Denning breaks in, "we were there to pull Commander McGarrett out in light of new evidence and were able to stop the assault." 

It’s Jenna who leaps on the important parts of that statement, her head coming up so she can stare at the new governor curiously. "What new evidence? Are you saying--" 

"They found a video," Steve says, nodding to the mantle and the old clock sitting there. "Hidden camera; my old man’s idea, apparently. It was recording that night and got me being tasered before Jameson was shot." 

"But?" Kono asks, looking between Steve and the Governor. 

Denning sighs, holding up a hand like he wants to forestall any protests they might have. "It doesn’t show the face of the real shooter; we have no actual proof that it’s Wo Fat." 

Steve mostly looks resigned, a little determined but too tired for it to really matter. Chin wishes fiercely suddenly, that Danny were here with his words and his gestures; if there’s anyone capable of making Steve look more like himself it’s Danny. 

"So what do we do?" Kono asks, clearly frustrated and Chin understands. She hasn’t been cleared yet, can’t legally do anything and they’re all chafing from the helplessness. "We can’t just let him get away with it." 

"We won’t," Denning assures, glancing at Steve. "All of you, however, are going to lay low for a while. We need the story of the Commander’s death to get out; it’s the only way Wo Fat will feel comfortable enough to grow complacent." 

He levels them all with a heavy gaze. "We’ve set up a safe house; the Marshalls will be guarding it in shifts and I expect all of you to check in regularly," he pauses and looks over at Steve, "and keep your heads _down_." 

“Yes sir,” they say in return, mostly sheepish because they know they aren’t the best at that. 

He dismisses them after that, asks Chin and Kono to stay behind while Steve and Jenna head out to the lobby to wait.  
“We’ve put out the story that McGarrett died in the attack,” he says without preamble, and it takes them a moment to understand. 

“Oh God,” Kono turns to stare at Chin, wide-eyed. “Danny--” 

“Has to believe it,” Denning interrupts, looking at them both grimly. “I don’t like it any more than you do,” he tells them, and Chin really doubts that, “but it’s necessary. We’re fairly sure that Detective Williams’ phone is tapped, or he’s being watched at the very least. He can’t know the truth, so you better sell it good if he calls.” 

“Sir, all due respect but we can’t--” 

“You can, and you will Lieutenant Kelly. That’s an order,” he demands, no room for argument, and Chin and Kono close their eyes and nod. 

Danny will never forgive any of them for this. 

“Yes, sir,” they both mutter, turning to head for the door. The feeling doesn’t sit right because they both know what Steve means to Danny, and Grace; them thinking he’s dead is going to destroy both of them, and neither Kono or Chin want to be responsible for that. But they don’t want Wo Fat to get to Steve, Danny, or Grace more than they want to protect them from grief. 

It isn’t an easy choice, but they know what they have to do when Danny calls, and he will as soon as he sees the news. 

“By the way,” the Governor adds just as they get to the door, “McGarrett doesn’t know. Keep it that way.” 

“How the hell do we manage that?” Kono asks once the door is closed behind them and they can only stare at each other. “It’s Danny; Steve’s gonna want to call him.” 

“We’ll do what we can,” Chin tells her, “because that’s all we can do.” 

\-----------------------

Danny calls three days later, before Steve manages to get around to mentioning calling him. Kono’s just glad she’s not at the safe house; she never would have been able to pull it off if Steve had been right there in front of her. 

As it is, she only manages to get away with the babbling and stuttering because Danny is out of it; in shock, apparently and that knowledge makes it easy to summon up tears because she’s hurting him, and she wishes more than anything that she didn’t have to. But she does, for their own safety. 

“I’m so sorry, Danny,” she tries, just to keep him talking because he sounds so lost, but he mutters thanks and hangs up the phone. 

“I can’t do that again,” she tells Chin an hour later, holding onto him as she tries to remember that this is for the best. “I could hear Grace in the background, and Danny,” she just shakes her head, burying it against him when he tightens his arms around her. Their family is falling apart around them, piece by piece, and they have to help it along. 

“It’ll be okay, cuz,” Chin soothes, rubbing circles into her back. “We’ll get Wo Fat and this will all be over.” They’ll all be together again, though whether that’s true or not is anyone’s guess. If Danny ever forgives them for this it’ll be a hell of a miracle. 

“If Steve finds out about this,” Kono looks up at him, troubled, “you know what he’ll do.” 

“I’m counting on it,” Chin says, shrugging. “It’s probably the only way to draw Wo Fat out, and there’s no real way we can keep him from it.” 

She blinks, thinking it over. “So, bait?” 

“Bait,” Chin agrees serenely, opening the door of the safe house for her. 

It isn’t what the Governor wants, but they all have a long history of not following procedure and doing exactly what they need to. She doesn’t see a need in stopping that now, especially if it’ll fix what’s been broken between them. Besides, Steve is stubborn and is always pretty much guaranteed to do exactly what they don’t want him to, so it’s a good bet things will get interesting real soon. 

“Jenna?” Kono calls out, having expected to be met at the door by the other woman. She’d agreed to be on Steve duty this morning; the fact that her car isn’t out front is suspicious. She glances at Chin before they both pull their weapons to check the house. It doesn’t take long; no sign of Steve. 

“I’m so sorry guys, I tried to stop him,” Jenna babbles as Chin sighs and unlocks the handcuffs, allowing her to stand up from the chair Steve apparently tied her to. “He was just really upset, kept saying he had to get to Danny.” 

Well, sooner than anticipated, but not necessarily a bad thing. 

“Did he call Danny?” Chin asks, looking very unsurprised. 

Jenna nods, looking slightly pale. “I didn’t…Danny didn’t know?” 

“Denning wouldn’t let us tell him,” Kono shrugs, leaning against the counter. “Wo Fat’s tapping his phone, probably having him watched, so he needed to believe it was real.” 

Jenna stares. “But, Steve called him! He’s probably heading to Jersey right now.” 

Chin nods. “And Wo Fat will undoubtedly make a move when he gets there.” 

“So you’re using Steve as bait to draw Wo Fat out.” 

“It’s not a good plan,” they concede, grimacing, “but it’s the only workable one we have.” 

Steve was going to go to Jersey regardless; there was nothing any of them could do to stop him, short of actually shooting him or throwing him back in a prison cell, so they might as well put his stubbornness to good use. 

“Well, we should get to work then; we need a working plan and a way to get some sort of control over this situation,” Jenna tells them determinedly, sitting back at the table to pull her laptop closer to her. “You two will need to get flights, and possibly back-up, but I don’t know how we’ll do that without letting the Governor in on it…,” she trails off, muttering to herself about plans and contingencies until it’s all gibberish and mixed together. 

Chin and Kono watch her for a moment before shrugging and heading to pack bags. They have a flight to catch.

\-------------------------------------------------

Steve’s half-way to Jersey before his phone starts going off. 

He looks down at it, half-tempted to answer just to see what they have to say to him, but he doesn’t in the end. It’ll be an easy way to track him, he knows; they all know where he’s going and he doesn’t plan on making it easy for them to get him before he gets there. 

It’s one of those instinctual, spur-of-the-moment plans that Danny would rant about, probably call him thick-headed and complain that Steve is taking years off his life; he doesn’t care, so long as he gets there and lets his partner know he isn’t dead. Part of him can’t believe Chin and Kono would even allow it, though he knows them well enough to know it was probably Denning’s idea and he didn’t give them much of a choice. Steve is far from stupid; he’s well aware that he’s probably walking into a trap, but he doesn’t care. 

Some things are worth the danger, and the conversation with Danny’s Mom has left him shaken. 

Steve doesn’t know what he expected when he called Danny, but finding out that they all thought he was dead was nowhere near the top of the list. It hurts, the knowledge that he’s hurt two people who have become so intrinsically important to his life. Things have gone very wrong in ways he didn’t intend, but he’s determined to try to fix what he can. He can’t be sure they’ll ever be the same, quite as whole as they were before Steve fucked up and walked right into a trap that closed around them all neat as anything, but he’s damn sure not going to leave things the way they are now. 

There’s a lot of time to think during the trip. 

He hops a flight to Tucson, takes a connector to Charlotte, and heads to Newark from there; he hates commercial flights, but it’s worth it. 

All the things he wants to say to Danny abandon him the moment he steps into Newark International, and he has to stop for a moment and breathe. There’s a minute of claustrophobic almost-panic that he isn’t used to dealing with, but there’s so many people, and so close together; Halawa had been solitary confinement until he was sure he was going crazy and it’s almost too much too soon.

But he thinks of Danny; loud-mouthed and tactile, and it’s enough to get him moving again, pushing through the crowds until he can get outside and hail a cab. Danny and Grace are waiting, sitting somewhere mourning him when they don’t have to be, and Steve desperately wants to set that right. 

It doesn’t take long to get a cab; he might be out of practice, but blending in and adapting is what he’s good at, what he was trained for. His voice shakes when he gives Danny’s parent’s address and he has to clear his throat to get it all out. 

“Just stop at the street,” he amends after a moment, knows it’s for the best. “I’ll walk to the house.” He doesn’t want to draw attention by pulling up in a cab; it’s going to be hard enough knocking on that door knowing what he’s going to see on the other side of it. Half of him is convinced he should just disappear while he has the chance, let them grieve and move on because he’s fucked things up enough. 

He can’t though; he’s not that selfless.

It’s a plain door, once he gets to it. A door just like all the rest on the similar houses down the street, and Steve stands there staring at it for longer than he wants to admit to anyone. When he finally does knock, he has to convince himself to stay there rather than retreating down to the sidewalk, just in case. 

“Fuck, what am I doing,” he mutters, hopes it isn’t Grace that answers the door because he doesn’t want to scare her. _Could’a thought this out a little better, babe_ , the voice in his head tells him, and he doesn’t think about how it sounds like Danny. 

Steve also doesn’t think about how it’s right. He could have, but he also needed to get here immediately; he knows waiting would have been worse. For all of them. 

The sound of the door creaking open jerks his attention back to the present as he falls instinctively into the ‘at rest’ pose known to servicemen everywhere. Danny would laugh at him for it; has laughed at him for it, if he weren’t too busy thinking Steve’s dead. 

“What fresh hell is---” Danny stops mid-sentence, staring. His eyes are red and Steve’s gut knots up even further. 

He swallows hard and takes half a step back despite meaning to go forwards. 

“Danny, I--” 

“You--No. I saw it on the news; Kono _told_ me herself,” Danny shakes his head, pale and trembling. He’s staring at Steve like he doesn’t believe he’s standing there, hopeful and begging him to just go at the same time. Like he wants to reach out, but doesn’t dare because he doesn’t want to find out Steve isn’t real. 

He can help with that, at least. He forces himself forward into Danny’s outstretched hand until they’re touching. Danny’s fist closes tight around his shirt, yanking until they’re pressed together all along their front, no doubt left that Steve is real and here; alive. 

“Oh my god,” Danny mutters, over and over, into Steve’s shirt as he wraps his arms around him, and Steve breathes again, hugs Danny like he doesn’t plan on letting go. “How--Why?” It’s probably one of the only times Steve’s ever seen his partner speechless. 

“Denning ordered Kono to keep you in the dark,” Steve says after a long moment of just enjoying the feeling of Danny close enough to touch. “Wo Fat.” It’s enough of an explanation, though he knows Danny’s nowhere near letting this go. 

“You didn’t escape, did you?” He asks instead, leaning back to stare at Steve suspiciously. 

“No,” Steve half-laughs, offering a tired grin. “They found a tape in the Governor’s office; it proved I didn’t do it so I got out. Denning had me in a safe-house, laying low.” 

“Until you found out I didn’t know.” Danny knows him well. But then, he’d do the same thing, Steve knows. 

“I’m sorry,” he says, glances past Danny towards the door. “I wouldn’t have--”

“I know, babe,” Danny tells him, squeezes his arm gently and tugs him towards the door. 

“While this is not the end of it, and trust me, I have many, many words to say on the subject,” he starts, and Steve has no doubts whatsoever on that, “my daughter is in there, thinking that her Uncle Steve is dead, and I intend to rectify this immediately.” His voice breaks over ‘dead’ and Steve swallows thickly. The fact that someone would grieve over him like this, would genuinely miss him if he were gone, still sometimes blind-sides him from left field. 

He doesn’t know precisely when his rag-tag group of misfits turned into a family, but he’s glad for it. 

Especially when he walks into the living room once Danny’s had a chance to talk to Grace and let her know that Steve isn’t dead; she doesn’t waste any time in leaping at him, arms wrapping tight as far as they can go as she cries into his shirt. 

“Uncle Steve!” She says, looking up at him after a long minute of just crying, and he offers a smile and kneels down so that he can hug her properly. “They said you were dead,” she tells him sadly, hanging on like she doesn’t want to let go. 

“I know, Gracie,” he says quietly, glancing up to see Danny watching them, something soft and open on his face that makes Steve’s throat tight. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” 

“Why’d they say it if it wasn’t true?” she asks, and Steve has no idea what to say. Danny steps in smoothly; coming up to them to run a hand over Grace’s head, the other settling on Steve’s shoulder like it belongs.

“Sometimes the news people,” he says, looking down at them, “they get it wrong. Somebody tells them something too soon; they don’t check it out and bam. Wrong information given out to the public and nobody the wiser until the truth comes out. Or ends up lurking out on the stoop, as it were,” he adds, managing a shaky grin as he squeezes Steve’s shoulder. 

Steve makes a face at him before yanking him down into the hug, the three of them ending up half-sprawled on the floor in a sobbing, laughing mess. 

Grace mostly refuses to let Steve out of her sight the rest of the day, and Danny’s no better, staring at Steve most of the time like he expects him to disappear any second. Steve can’t really bring himself to care though, too happy to be here and free with them to worry about being stared at. Instead he lets Grace cling to his arm and practically sprawl across his lap after she and Danny install him on the couch while Danny’s mother goes back to making dinner after introductions are done.

She fusses over Steve, tells him he needs to eat more while Danny casts them amused looks as he puts in Grace’s favorite movie before crossing to sit next to Steve on the couch, close enough that their sides are touching. 

“C’mon, Ma,” Danny laughs, shooing her away, “let the man breathe.” 

“He needs to eat more,” she says severely, pointing at them with the wooden spoon in her hand before she turns and heads back into the kitchen. 

“You’ll never get away now, babe,” Danny tells him, nudging his shoulder as they turn back to the tv. Grace is watching Tangled happily; her arm wrapped around one of Steve’s like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “She knows you need mothering.” 

They stay like that most of the night, get up to eat and introduce Steve to Danny’s dad, who watches them both closely; thoughtful even while he debates football with Steve, and they both roll their eyes at Danny’s claim that this is the Jets’ year. 

“Where’d I go wrong,” Danny’s dad laments, nudging Steve with an elbow. He laughs, grinning at the sight of Danny scowling at them both. 

“What is this, huh? Gang up on Danny time? And my own Pops,” he shakes his head. “I see how it is.” He steals a piece of garlic bread off the pan, juggles it until it’s cool enough to eat, and checks Steve with his hip on his way past. 

They can’t seem to stop touching, little brushes of Steve’s hand to get his attention, or Danny grabbing his arm, slapping his back. They’ve always been fairly tactile with each other, but not always quite this much. Neither of them particularly wants to stop though, and Steve doesn’t mind it when Danny ends up leaning against him on the couch, apparently not caring that his parents are watching as he takes Steve’s arm and pulls it around his shoulders. 

“You ever do this to me again,” Danny says after a while, when the lights are off and he’s carried Grace off to bed, “and I swear to God, I will hunt you down and murder you myself.” 

“I didn’t mean to do it in the first place,” Steve tells him honestly, raising his hands helplessly. “I never would have agreed to it, Danno; you _know_ that.” 

Danny looks down at his hands, keeps staring when Steve reaches over and intertwines their fingers just because he can. “Do I? What about all that ‘need-to-know-I’m-a-Super-Seal-of-Doom crap?” 

“I know better than to think you don’t need to know I’m alive, Danny.” 

“You better, Steven,” he gets in return, Danny sitting up and looking him over, blatant in his staring. 

Steve meets him stare for stare, swallows against the heat pooling in his belly because it’s Danny, and he’s here, and Steve’s _missed him_. “I expected more yelling,” he says instead of anything else, smiles when it drags an almost-laugh out of Danny. 

“Oh believe me, it was tempting,” he agrees, knocking their knees together. “But I thought you were _dead_ , Steven. And then suddenly here you are, all the way in Jersey and obviously very much not-dead.” He shrugs. “I figure the yelling can wait. There are better things to do.” 

“Yeah?” Steve asks, hoarse and half-terrified because he thinks he knows where this is going, and _finally_. “What things?” 

Danny just gives him his patented ‘Steve McGarrett is an idiot, why do I put up with this’ look, and rolls his eyes. “C’mon babe,” he says, closing the small space remaining between them on the couch. “I know you got brains under all that macho Navy Seal; more than that, I know you got _eyes_ , and neither of us is exactly subtle about this, Steven.” 

Steve snorts. “Fuck you, Danno; I’m the king of subtle,” he argues because he can’t not, and Danny laughs at him. 

“Kinda the idea, Steve,” he manages, which sets them both off before Steve gives in and tugs Danny down into a kiss that’s far more chaste than either of them expects. 

They end up tangled on the couch, Danny filling Steve in on what’s happened with Rachel and Grace. “She just…I don’t know. I’ve got full custody now, and permission to take Grace home,” he says quietly, idly tracing patterns on Steve’s shoulder through his shirt. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet; any of it.” 

The fact that Danny calls Hawaii ‘home’ when he’s in New Jersey makes Steve feel like he’s been gut-punched. 

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he agrees, staring up at the ceiling, one hand resting on Danny’s back, fingers tightening in his partner’s shirt. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and be back in that cell. I’m tired of solitary.” He’d gotten too used to being around other people, and then they stuck him in that tiny cell, alone and cut off, and he’s not sure his head is the best place anymore. If it ever was. 

“Yeah well,” Danny starts, reaching over to tug Steve’s attention back, as he shifts just enough to be able to lean over him, “you’re not. You’re here, and you are not going back to that prison. Do you know how hard it was to walk away and leave you in there?” He’s demanding, staring down at Steve like he’s something precious as he slides a hand around to the back of his neck and lowers his forehead until it’s touching Steve’s. 

“Because let me tell you, babe; it was not easy. Anything other than Grace, and I never would have left.” Which is…Something. 

“I would have kicked your ass if you’d have stayed,” Steve tells him, eyes closed, just enjoying sharing space with Danny. “It _was_ Gracie.” 

Danny huffs, a warm breath against Steve’s cheek, and he opens his eyes to find Danny staring down at him with his feelings written all over his face. “Shut up,” he mutters, hiding his face in Steve’s neck. “You’re just a big goof, and I have no idea why I love you.” 

Steve can’t breathe for a minute, too busy letting those words play on repeat in his head until he realizes Danny’s staring down at him again. 

“Did I break you? I know you’re still learning how to be a real boy, Steven, but I didn’t think—“

Steve shoves the surprise away and rolls his eyes, reaching up to pull Danny back down. “Shut up, Danno,” he says before he kisses him again, a whole lot less chaste this time. 

“Love you, too,” he manages in the space between them as they break apart, not quite able to look away. 

Danny grins at him, wide and whole, but soft in a way Steve rarely sees. “I didn’t expect you to say it back.” 

“When do I ever do what you expect?” 

“Oh babe,” Danny laughs, lets his head fall to rest on Steve’s chest. “You’re the epitome of ‘expect the unexpected.’”

When Steve finally manages to fall asleep, it’s the best night he’s had in months despite the lumpy couch cushions, and both of them being a little too big for the furniture. He thinks he probably should have realized it couldn’t last, considering. 

He and Danny both wake up to the door being kicked in, wood splintering and caving underneath the foot of a man almost as large as Kamekona, though much deadlier-looking. Neither of them are armed, facing down intruders that have guns pointed at them, and both praying that Grace, at least, stays in her room. 

“McGarrett,” the big guy says, motioning at Steve with his gun, “you’re like a fuckin’ cockroach. The boss is payin’ big money to whoever manages to squish you.” 

Steve closes his eyes because he knows—

“Are you serious?” Danny starts, just like Steve knew he would. “That’s your big line? You’re going for the cockroaches are hard to kill and so are Navy Seals angle? Am I really hearing you right now?” 

And Danny says Steve has a death wish. 

“Maybe we could not insult the guys with the big guns, Danno?” He tries, knows it’s useless because Danny has pent-up anger and he’s jumped on the chance to get it out. 

“No, seriously,” he keeps on, ignoring Steve completely, “you guys need some new material. Hell, the bad guys in Disney movies are more creative than you.” 

“Keep it down, pipsqueak,” the second man orders, and Steve just sighs. 

“Short jokes? Yeah, ‘cause I’ve never heard _that_ one before,” Danny spits acidly, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I thought you didn’t like getting shot at, Daniel?” Steve asks pointedly. 

“You shut up,” Danny tells him. “If I get you shot, I’ll at least apologize for it _immediately_.” 

“How about we shoot both of you?” The first gunman says, taking a step closer, and Steve grins viciously. He shifts, glances at Danny once and then moves, grabbing the guy’s wrist and twisting back until he hears a shout and the gun dropping. He kicks it out of reach, and doesn’t flinch at the sound of the other gunman telling him to stop, or he’ll shoot. 

“Ah, ah,” Danny murmurs, standing up to point to the gun Steve kicked to him at the smaller guy. “I don’t think so, buddy. Drop it.” 

“Wise words,” a familiar voice says from the other side of the door, “I’d follow them if I were you, brah.” 

Steve doesn’t think he’s ever been so relieved to hear Chin’s voice. The second gunman drops his weapon, and Chin manages to get him down on the floor, zip ties around his wrists, along with his partner. Newark PD shows up after that, takes them into custody after getting Steve and Danny’s statements. They all know who the men work for; Wo Fat is a name that’s clearly going to haunt them for a long time. 

For now though, he’s at least been given a roadblock. His thugs have been arrested, and his picture is circulating through Newark PD. It’s a stalling tactic, but none of them are going to complain about having more time to prepare for the real attack. They know it’s coming; he’s obviously not just going to give up. 

Steve sighs tiredly as he watches the last of the police cruisers pull away, turns to see Danny’s dad frowning over the state of the door while Chin talks to Grace. Danny himself is standing in front of Kono, arms crossed. They clearly have a lot to talk about, and it isn’t a discussion Steve particularly wants to be part of. He heads over to the house instead, stops beside the door and grimaces. 

“Sorry, Mr. Williams,” he says quietly. 

“You didn’t break it down, son,” Danny’s dad tells him with a shrug. “Nothin’ to apologize for.” 

Steve huffs, shakes his head. “At least let me help fix it, sir.” 

Mr. Williams pauses, turns to look closely at Steve for a moment. Steve stands straight, and looks back, not bothering to try to hide anything. It’s Danny’s dad, after all. He smiles finally, reaches over to pat Steve’s back the same way he had Danny’s the night before. “He could do worse, I suppose,” he says instead of answering, chuckling to himself as he heads back into the house. “I’ll make some calls, get this thing fixed. You don’t worry about it.” 

Steve stares after him, blinking. 

“Pops already knows about your crazy,” Danny tells him as he walks up, somewhere between irritated and happy. Steve knows he’s forgiven Kono; Danny can’t hold a grudge against her, either. “Him and Ma had a running bet on how long it’d take us.” He doesn’t have to say for what. “Pops won,” he laughs, shaking his head. 

“Didn’t get shot this time,” Steve offers, knocking into Danny’s side and staying there, pressed against him. 

Danny snorts. “Must be a new record; I’ll have to write it down.” 

“You and Kono good?” Steve has to ask; their family, and a team, and it isn’t really her fault. 

“Yeah, me ‘an the rookie are fine,” Danny sighs, waving an arm in dismissal. “I yelled a little, she gave me the puppy eyes; it’s settled. The Governor though? Different story; it’s probably best I don’t see that man for a while.” Steve’s mostly inclined to agree with that; their situation as a team is shaky enough without Danny yelling at Denning until he gets them all kicked off the island. 

“Good,” Steve says, throwing an arm around Danny’s shoulder as the others walk up, Grace riding happily on Chin’s shoulders. “We can go home.” 

“Daddy, Uncle Chin and Aunt Kono said they can give me surfing lessons now!” Grace calls, loud and excited. Danny groans, turning to scowl at the other two, both of them watching him innocently. Steve can’t help it, he just laughs, stealing Grace from Chin and twirling her around just to hear her squeal with happiness while Danny rants at the other two about the dangers of the ocean. 

They're here, together, and there's nowhere else Steve would rather be.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“I never thought I’d say this,” Danny says loudly as he drops into the sand beside Steve, “but I might have, maybe missed this place.” He stops, thinks about and amends, “a little.” 

Steve snorts, takes his beer from Danny and rolls his eyes. “You love it here, Danno. Admit it.” 

“Hell no,” Danny grins at him. “I got a reputation to keep up, babe. What would people do if I suddenly went around fitting in, and proclaiming my love for this god-forsaken island?” 

“No one would believe a word of it, Danno,” Steve agrees, tugging Danny back into the sand with him. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” 

Danny laughs, lets himself be tugged into a kiss that lasts longer than it probably should before pulling away to sit up and search the waves slightly anxiously. 

Steve leans into him and points out where Grace is with Kono, both of them on boards, moving through the waves easily. “She’s fine, Danny. Kono says she’s doing really good in the lessons.” 

“Yeah, she looks good out there,” he sounds torn between pride and disappointment, though Steve understands. Danny doesn’t exactly like the ocean, or Grace in the ocean. “Why couldn’t she pick a safer sport, though? Or football? I know football,” he complains, though it’s half-hearted at best, and Steve just laughs, pushing himself to his feet and pulling Danny up with him. 

“Because we live in Hawaii, Danno. What do people do in Hawaii?” He asks patiently as he tugs Danny down the shore towards the water. 

“People surf in Hawaii, Steven,” Danny answers, rolling his eyes. “People are also crazy here, and put pineapple on their pizza.” He still doesn’t hesitate in letting Steve drag him out into the water, both of them shedding their shirts. 

Grace and Kono spot them, the two of them and Chin abandoning the waves further out to join Steve and Danny in the shallows, where they play a rousing game of splash-tag until Danny instigates a water-war with Kono. Steve snags his partner by the waist as he tries to slip by, away from the rookie, and she and Grace tackle them both down, laughing, into the surf. Chin stands further back, grinning at their antics. 

It’s damn good to be home.


End file.
